Solid Sound Festival Takes Year Off

Wilco will not organize a Solid Sound Festival this year but promised to return in 2013.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The Solid Sound Festival will not return this summer but will be back in 2013.

The last two years the concert, organized by the band Wilco, attracted thousands of people to the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts. This year will be a hiatus for the festival but it is scheduled to return in June of 2013.

"The festival is dearly loved by all of us - from the band to the staff who organize and execute it - so the decision to take 2012 off was not an easy one," said festival co-organizer and Wilco manager Tony Margherita in a press release. "However, with the release of Wilco's latest album, The Whole Love, on their own newly launched label, followed by a lot of touring both home and away, well, we've had a pretty crazy year. All that factored in to deciding that the best thing for us and for the festival would be to give ourselves enough time and energy to really focus on making Solid Sound 2013 the best one yet."

The band plans on performing a special benefit concert this summer at MoCA but the date of that show has not been set.

"We also understand the financial impact that taking the year off will have on MASS MoCA, our incredible host and not-for-profit partner in the festival," Margherita said. "It is our hope and intention that this summer's benefit concert will lessen that impact and present Wilco with another opportunity to bring our fans to a place that is very dear to us."

The 2013 festival is scheduled for June 21 through June 23. A lineup and ticket information is expected to be announced in the next few months.

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Too bad. I'll miss this summertime highlight. As long as the festival returns I guess they can take some time off to rest, relax and recharge after a year of playing all over the world. I'll be in line to buy my ticket when they come to NA this summer. Quite possibly the best rock band in the world today!

What a bummer :( This is a HUGE hit to the local Summer economy. I truly hope that MASS MoCA can come up with something great to fill the massive void left by this decision to take a year off. We needed at least 2 additional "impact" festivals/events before this cancellation. We were just getting some traction, and momentum. This is just awful news to wake up to.

Editor: Posting the same complaint over and over again (especially anonymously!), whether it has anything to do with the article or not - that's a troll.

A hypocrite is someone who says one thing and does another. Also someone who calls themselves one thing yet acts the opposite. I Agree (13) - I Disagree (0)

Would someone please tell me how the event ever helped the taxpayers of the city ???? With or without the events out taxes were maxed out and will keep being maxed out . So if mass moca falles into the river ,it does not matter to the taxpayers. That is a fact so live with it Dan.

I see I touched a nerve. True a hypocrite is someone who says one thing (you pretending to be unbiased) when in fact you are in the pocket of DA (as evidenced by your selective editing and debate performance)

Fair and Balanced posts under Lower Taxes, On the Fence, and many other names. He hijacks threads and has an inexplicable personal animus for anyone who disagrees with him, or dares to point out facts inconvenient to his typically specious arguments. Wilco pulled out of the festival because of tour commitments and for no other reason. But, they are gracious enough to do a benefit concert. DA can no more raise taxes by himself than he can create jobs by himself. These constant references to DA and the press being part of a campaign to somehow fool the local citizenry are so silly that they should go without a response, but the best enemy of a lie - even a brzaenly stupid one - is the truth.

Editor: In that I will admit to some bias. Those of us who do not live in North Adams have had what sympathy we felt for city taxpayers strained by the constant griping since most of us pay higher tax rates on homes with higher evaluations. I Agree (4) - I Disagree (0)

I guess this one is all over the place so I will add my 2 cents in. This festival that is held helps nobody in the city. When you go to the concert do you see any local vendors inside those gates. No because they are not welcome. I know people that tried to get in and told no because the people that run the show bring in there own vendors. Is taht at all fair to the people that have business in the city. I think not. I can remember they have parking at the old Price Chopper lot where busses would transfer people from the lot to the concert. Well I think I saw 4 cars parked there. So there goes any business south of the intersection of Main St. O yeah and the Mayor tells locals treat this as a snow day if you dont have to go anyplace dont. Well there still are a few of us that like to contribute to our local business owners. Talk to some of your local business owners and listen to the response you get when you ask them. So how did your business do when Wilco came to town.
Another thing. Why do we just bring in Wilco? Can we maybe bring in other bands that would draw a crowd. I'm sure we could. to tell you the truth I never heard of Wilco until they came to the city. Just saying

Editor: Some of what you're talking about refers to the first festival. There were lots of local vendors inside the second one. Also, it was the public safety commissioner who used the "snow day" term for the first festival because no one knew exactly what would happen. The second festival, residents were encouraged to come down and join the fun. Third, the city doesn't bring in bands; Mass MoCA does. I Agree (2) - I Disagree (0)

What's troubling is that when you deign to point out a fact, especially one that throws cold water on their pet theories, they become mean and vile and nasty. It's impossible to engage in reasoned discourse with someone like that. I'm sure you've seen what passes for discourse on Topix and the like. But, a quite small group of people post on those threads, and some of them think they have a monopoly on the truth.

Wow I think Tin Foil hat has his on way too tight. I am not those people he believes I am. Sorry. That is a libelous and untrue statement. Tammy it should be removed according to your own codes of conduct

To FairandBalanced: I believe you are indeed those people. Moreover, the writing style and comments under those names are almost identical. But, my statements about my beliefs are my informed opinion, and cannot be libelous because my statements, even if untrue, need to be about a readily identifiable person. Since you're posting anonymously, those statements cannot be construed as libelous.

Editor: Of course they were. Your complaints were valid - that's why they did changes for the second festival. You're just a little behind.I Agree (1) - I Disagree (0)

So many of the comments here are typical of everything that is wrong with North Adams and why it is going to take a huge amount of effort and a very long time for this city ever to pull its own weight again.

1. Solid Sound is a huge boon for the city in multiple ways. Attendees shop in the stores. I can vouch that Solid Sound weekend is the best summer weekend of the year for us and other businesses I talk to. Attendees pay a premium for hotels and restaurants who pay a tax, a portion of which goes directly to city coffers. Vendors inside the of the festival pay $150 dollars each directly to city for permits. The festival pays for extra police, etc... It is a very big deal that amounts to several hundred thousands of dollars spent in North Adams that otherwise would not be. LOTS OF PEOPLE MAKE MONEY. Local electricians make thousands of dollars stringing lights and electrical. Dozens of locals make extra cash working the booths. Local charities make serious money selling hot dogs. Some people rent out their homes for hundreds of dollars for the weekend. If you don't, it's your own fault.

2. There is a sizable portion of residents who would complain about anything different that happens around here. If a store opens, they bitch and moan. If a store closes, they bitch and moan. If Mass MoCA holds the festival, they bitch and moan. If they don't have the festival, they bitch and moan. If a company considers moving to town, they bitch and moan. When the company rejects the town, they bitch and moan. When the budget gets cut, they bitch and moan. When they rejigger it to keep the library open, they bitch and moan. When they see the city hire cops and firefighters, they bitch and moan. When the firefighters rescue someone, they bitch and moan. When cops take 15 minutes to show up at their doorstep for a minor complaint, they bitch and moan. When roads take an hour to get plowed, they bitch and moan. When the snowplow buries the end of their driveway, they bitch and moan. There is no solution for these folks.

3. A voting majority in this city does not understand that in the past 40 years they created the welfare trap that we now live in. By keeping new ideas out, by demanding the lowest possible taxes, by not giving a crap about anything but themselves, and of course by bitching and moaning so much, these people have made an environment where most people who can live somewhere else do. Property values reflect this and the cheap rents have turned us into a small town rural poverty ghetto (not in the racial sense but in the homogeneity of our poverty.) And poor people don't shop beyond the necessities, booze, cigarettes and scratch tickets. If Staples sold Marlboros and lottery, they'd still be open. That's what we in North Adams are good at.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PEOPLE- QUIT SHOOTING YOURSELVES (and the rest of us) IN THE FOOT!!! The world is not out to get us, but the world will continue to pass us by if we don't do something different.

It has been a great festival for the town and visitors. I would like North Adams and Mass Moca to expand on it and not just rely on the same one weekend or even the same band over and over. Wilco is always welcome here because they are the founding fathers but it would be great in my opinion to do the same type festival with other small bands. Obviously we wont be able to attract top twenty bands but how about some bands from the 80's or 90's that are still hanging around? just a thought.........

I work and live in North Adams and although I didn not attend or volunteer at the first Wilco event. I did volunteer and enjoy many of the local vendors inside and lots of great music provided. I was volunteering in one of the parking lots which on Saturday filled up pretty quickly and we were diverting to the Mt Greylock Bowl and Stop and Shop lots and people were being bused in. Alot of the restaurants and stores said they got alot of foot traffic and enjoyed seeing the city so full of life again. As did I. If you don\'t like Wilco then it\'s only one weekend a year (and now those of us who loved it have to wait until 2013) so don\'t rain on others parades. I hope that because of Wilco we do get other bands to come and play because it\'s a great venue. Looking forward to benefit concert.

Oh My God!! "Local Business" you hit it right on!!! We are a city of a welfare trap, BIG TIME!! I am all for anything good to come here including Wilco and other bands, shows, art, etc!! Anything to help us all get out of this slump this city has been in for years. We need good people, willing to work and be proud of what we have and make something of it, not sit around drinking, smoking, scratching lottery tickets and they need to stop thinking the world owes them!! Technically they owe us!! Bring it on MassMOCA and who ever else wants to come here and join us to help make a better city and put us on the map. Open arms for you!

I didn't read anything in this article about taxes or the mayor and that's what most of the comments are about, starting with the "troll" who gets enjoyment of tearing others down. The "Trolls" will always exist. The media that allow the "Trolls" to freely promote negativity are as much if not more to blame. Did you consider changing the website name to kickiberkshires.com or kicknorthadams.com. That's what you continually allow people to do.

Wilco and Mass MOCA are a perfect fit. Wilco is based in Chicago and they could have held there festival there (or anywhere). Luckily, there manager lives in Easthampton and was aware of the museum's space. Band members subjected themselves to a dunk booth with proceeds going to local school programs the last two years. This year, despite being unable to hold the full festival, they will play a benefit for MOCA. This, will sell out, and although there may not be the tickets available there would be for a full weekend, local commerce will get a boost. They are a band with music that ranges between folk and art rock; Mass MOCA is modern art in a blue collar town. See, perfect fit.

I like Wilco. I love old bands from the 60s, 70s, and 80s as well but its not like we vote for who plays here. Maybe once the new Mohawk theater administration get rolling, they will book those type of acts. Maybe those complaining about the talent could start their own venue. I'm pretty sure you're not going to get the Steve Miller Band by approaching city council or writing here though. Steve Miller Band is great but it just doesn't quite jive with MOCA's mission statement. Does it?

This is a concert series and the city government does become engaged in welcoming visitors and making it a community opportunity. However, they're not making much bank on it. It has nothing to do with taxes. Let's talk about the festival or lack of.

My comments are spot on, and you know it. From Wilco's website is the information about the 2013 festival, and its intention to play a benefit concert this year. http://wilcoworld.net/#!/solid-sound-festival-3-june-21-23-2013-2/.

Just like your ridiculous predictions about how Ron Boucher would fare in the mayoral election, your inanity about some nefarious deeds being behind Wilco not conducting the sound festival this year is laughable. You should read the thoughtful and intelligent remarks of Lower Business, whose description of the attitude of people like you demonstrate precisely why this City is in the state that it's in.